Accidental Discovery Dramatically Improves Electrical Conductivity

Quite by accident, Washington State University researchers have achieved a 400-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of a crystal simply by exposing it to light. The effect, which lasted for days after the light was turned off, could dramatically improve the performance of devices like computer chips.

McCluskey, Tarun and physicist Farida Selim, now at Bowling Green State University, exposed a sample of strontium titanate to light for 10 minutes. Its improved conductivity lasted for days. They theorize that the light frees electrons in the material, letting it carry more current.

Source

reply to post by Americanist


Cool find.

I bet there are a *lot* of applications for this discovery both directly and indirectly related to electrical conductivity...

This is fascinating news although not something new to me. I thought this was already a thing because I had conceptualized this process many years ago through a synthesized crystal (CAD) and algorithms that could store information within a crystal holographically and be capable of also projecting images at the surface through a slightly different approach but more or less like a CRT. I honestly thought this kind of technology existed for decades due to its simpleness in design. Now I'm kicking myself for not going public with this invention :/

They do take it to a whole new level with the implementation inside computer chips which I had not thought about.

Too bad it's not long lived.

reply to post by Em2013


The more pressing question is how does light 'clear a path' inside of mass. I have my own theory of course...

reply to post by abecedarian


Well, if the effect lasts for days after exposure to light, then that is certainly better than it could be. It is longer than many modern mobile phones can retain their charge, for example.

I think this is a pretty neat find, especially for one which was made by accident.

Americanist

Quite by accident, Washington State University researchers have achieved a 400-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of a crystal simply by exposing it to light. The effect, which lasted for days after the light was turned off, could dramatically improve the performance of devices like computer chips.

McCluskey, Tarun and physicist Farida Selim, now at Bowling Green State University, exposed a sample of strontium titanate to light for 10 minutes. Its improved conductivity lasted for days. They theorize that the light frees electrons in the material, letting it carry more current.

Source

Cool the Power of Light !! thanks for Posting ...

Riffrafter
reply to post by Americanist

 

Cool find.

I bet there are a *lot* of applications for this discovery both directly and indirectly related to electrical conductivity...

Yup, how can I get this to improve my hi-fi sound. lol

reply to post by abecedarian

Simple fix. Put a LED light inside the computer chips. It would be something crazy if something as simple as putting a LED light in side the IC could cause an increase like this. I guess the chips as afraid of the dark.